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Meet the Band Join the Band What's New?
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 Questions:
Q: What is the band's mission? A: To explore strange new worlds ... To seek out new life, and new
civilizations ... To boldly go where no band has gone before! Actually,
the band's mission is simply to have fun, and all the rest of that jazz
turns out to be just a side effect. We strive to make all of
the elements of band fun, from choosing music, to rehearsals, to the
gigs we play and how we play them. A: Don't you think that's a little personal? After all, we've just
met. Oh — that's what you mean! The band has approximately
30 active musicians at any given time. The band instrumentation is composed
of piccolos/flutes, clarinets, alto saxes, tenor saxes, bari saxes,
trumpets, mellophones, baritones, trombones, tubas, and percussion.
Although we don't necessarily have an equal number of musicians in each
section, we try to have several musicians covering each instrument.
Q: What types of music does the band play? A: Check out our music list! We have a large music repertoire to go with an even bigger and ever-growing library. New music is continuously introduced to keep us challenged. As new music is perfected, it is swapped in for older music in our shows. Don't think that we ever retire any old music! We revisit our older tunes periodically, and some old favorites never leave the list. Q: Can I hear some of the band's music? You bet! (Be serious — you didn't think this question would be in here if the answer was "no", would you?) Click here to hear some sample tunes, and check out pictures from past gigs while you're at it. Q: Why is the band's director like a microprocessor? A: We rotate the band's directing chores among several people, none
of whom has formal musical training. These folks all play instruments
in the band when they're not directing. For these two reasons, we refer
to our directors as semiconductors. Q: What types of gigs does the band play? A: Check out our past client list! We play for a variety of events around the greater Northwest region of Oregon. For the most part, the band performs in Portland. We consciously play for a number of charity events every year to give back to the community. We also play for a number of festivals and other fun family events every year. Once a year, the band takes a big trip together. In 2003 the band flew to sunny San Antonio, Texas to participate in Fiesta, and in 2002 we were in Boise, Idaho for the River Festival. Check out the trip summary as well as the Sights and Sounds page for pictures and movie clips of other gigs. Q: What kinds of unusual places has the band performed? A: Well, some folks would consider honking loudly on a length of brass
tubing while sitting at a basketball game to be pretty unusual all by
itself, but for us it's just another day at the office. Some of the
more interesting places we've played included: a ski slope at Mt. Hood
after hauling the tubas uphill behind snowmobiles; a simulated graveyard
in the middle of a huge corn maze at Halloween; and floating down the
Siesta del Rio in innertubes at Splashtown San Antonio. Q: Will the band soak up huge amounts of
my time? A: Probably, but only because you'll let it! We try to keep the band
from becoming an overwhelming time commitment, performing about
twice a month in addition to weekly
rehearsals. Summers do tend to get a little busier. Since we're
all adults trying to manage other parts of our lives besides the
band, we don't require members to be at every rehearsal and gig.
However, most end up not only showing up for everything we can
schedule but also but hanging out for dinner afterward. The craziness
is addictive. Q: Does the band travel for gigs? A: The band travels for gigs in the local area; you're responsible
for your own transportation costs. Normally, we will either carpool
or make personal transportation arrangements. Occasionally, we will
schedule bus transport to a gig in the "extended local area".
We usually plan one big trip a year by plane to some interesting spot
and play multiple performances while there. Q: When and where does the band rehearse? A: The band rehearses every Thursday between 6:30 and 9:00 PM in Milwaukie,
Oregon at a member's house. During the spring, the band alters its rehearsal
schedule to accommodate members in the One
More Time Around Again Marching Band. The band typically rehearses
every Thursday, except holidays or as breathers around busy gig schedules
(with thought given to GALMB and OMTAAMB as well.) Q: Do people in the band get paid? A: No. We are an all volunteer organization. But it's definitely true
that the way to a band member's heart is through his or her stomach
— we never turn down free food or drink! Q: Does the band organization get paid? A: It depends on the gig. Although band members are not paid, we charge
for performances because it takes money to keep the band running (music,
insurance, etc) and we do not ask members to cover these costs. However,
we realize that some organizations with worthwhile events cannot afford
a fee. In those cases, we ask our hosts to provide free entry into the
event and a meal. The band wants to keep this FUN for its members. Q: Does the band volunteer its time for
philanthropic organizations? A: The band feels strongly about supporting the local community. Each year the band plays for several fundraisers for children. 2003 will mark our third year in a row of support for the Kids On The Block Awareness Program's Sand In The City fundraiser, and we've played several events on behalf of the I Have A Dream foundation. We even schlepped up Mt. Hood and played out in the snow for the Scotty Graham Memorial X-TREME Games (check out the photos here). Unsurprisingly, we're big supporters of music in our local schools. We're always glad to consider a worthwhile cause that needs our kind of music. Q: How does the band stay focused and
organized? A: We just turn the little knob right here on the side of the ... Actually, the band has a staff that works hard to keep the band organized and moving forward. The band routinely uses email and project management techniques such as those on eProject to maintain electronic calendars. Rehearsal agendas are published ahead of time. Rehearsal agendas are designed with specific goals and objectives. Email is used to convey gig details such as times, locations, driving instructions, parking, music show order, etc. Several members have said, "You (The Power Pep Band) are the most organized band that I've ever participated in." We think that's great. We believe being organized is a key ingredient towards having fun. Q: How do I join? Is there an audition? A: Follow the 'How to Join' link to send us an email. We're almost always looking for new members for one of the sections in the band. We'll let you know whether we have a current opening. If we don't, we'll let you know and keep you in mind for the future. If there is an opening, you'll be asked to sit in with the band for two rehearsals as an informal audition process. After the two rehearsals, a decision will be made with your input as to whether the band is a good fit for you. Q: What is expected of me, if I join? A: We ask that you attend as many of our rehearsals and performances
as practical. As adults, we know that it is almost impossible to meet
all of your commitments all the time. The band has sufficient membership
so that you can miss an event or two without feeling guilty or hurting
the band's continuity. At the same time, we ask that everyone attend
as much as possible to improve the band's overall performance level.
Music is a team sport that requires practice and collaboration. Band
members are responsible for their own travel expenses to rehearsals
and gigs. You'll almost certainly need regular access to email and the
Web to keep up with logistics. Finally, the band requires everyone to
buy the band's polo shirt and to obtain a pair of black pants and shorts.
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